Arena di Serdica Residence Hotel - The first and only 5 star Residence Hotel in Sofia

Local Information

EXPLORE BULGARIA

Location maps Directions Visa information Visitor information Bulgaria Information

LOCATIONS MAPS

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TRANSFERS & DIRECTIONS

Driving Directions from Sofia International Airport

Distance To / From the Hotel

- Sofia International Airport - 8 kilometres, 15 to 50 minutes drive;
- Hotel shuttle services are available;

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VISA INFORMATION

Latest Visa Information

Nationals of the UK, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Israel and Switzerland can stay in the country visa-free for 30 days in any 6 months period. Citizens of EU countries other than the UK can stay in Bulgaria without a visa for 90 days. Nationals of other countries should contact the Bulgarian embassies and consulates in their home countries about visa arrangements. Note that visas cannot be obtained at the border. If you want to stay longer than 30 or 90 days allotted, you’re advised to obtain a “type D” visa from the Bulgarian embassy in your home country before traveling.Once you arrive in Bulgaria you are required to register with the local police within 5 days of arrival. For those staying in a hotel or accommodation arranged through an agency, the registration will be done for you. You will be given a dated registration slip which you should keep in a safe place – you might be asked to produce it when leaving the country. People who don’t bother to register (or who don’t bother to keep the registration slip) can be subjected to large fines on departure- although this rarely happens to short-stay foreigners from Western countries.

NOTE: The following information is subject to change, as the visa requirements are being reviewed and changed by the State of Bulgaria- travellers are advised to contact the nearest Consulate for Bulgaria, prior to their journey.

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VISITOR INFORMATION

Customs

Foreigners can import an unlimited amount of either Bulgarian or foreign currency – but it has to be declared at the border if the total amount exceeds 8000 lv. or equivalent. You are not allowed to export more money then you import. You can bring 200 cigarettes and 1 liter of spirits into the country, but as both nicotine and alcohol are relatively cheap here, there’s little point in importing such things unless you are bringing in a particular brand of whisky as a gift for your hosts. When entering Bulgaria by car you have to present a document of ownership. You are not allowed to export antiques, artworks or coins of numismatic value unless you have a permit issued by the Ministry of Culture. Due to fears about child trafficking, travellers with small children may be asked for documentary evidence of their parental relationship before being allowed to leave the country.

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INFORMATION ABOUT BULGARIA

Area

110 994 sq. km

Population

5.56 million (July 2005 est.)

Geographic Location

Located in the south-east of the Balkan Peninsula, Bulgaria borders Romania to the North, the Black Sea to the East, Turkey and Greece to the South and Serbia and Macedonia to the West. The river Danube forms the country’s northern frontier and offers quick access to Central Europe. A crossroads location between Europe and Asia facilitates transport flows through the country.

Landscape

Bulgarian landscape is extremely diverse. The North is dominated by the vast lowlands of the Danube plains, the South by highlands and elevated plains. The average altitude of Bulgaria is 470 m and overall, lowlands prevail. There are eight mountains in Bulgaria, which rise more than 2 000 m above sea level. The highest peak (Moussala 2 925 m) can be found in the Rila Mountains. Along the Black Sea coast to the East of Bulgaria, the 130 km of good, wide beaches are among the country’s main tourist attractions. Bulgaria is mountainous with over four thousand mapped caves. Thirty-eight percent of Bulgaria consists of forests and woodlands; there are many rivers, waterfalls, lakes and mineral springs.
Protected areas include Pirin National Park, Sinite Kamani National Park, the Bourgas Wetlands, Steneto Reserve and Parangalitza Reserve. The Srebarna Nature Reserve, a World Heritage site, is home to over a hundred species of indigenous and migrating birds.

Cimate

A continental climate with hot summers and cold winters made the country a popular beach resort while offering good skiing in the winter. A Mediterranean influence can be felt in the valleys of the South-Western Rhodopi Mountains, where dry summers and mild winters prevail. The influence of the Black sea is limited to a narrow strip of land (200-300 km) in Eastern Bulgaria.

Population

Bulgaria's population was estimated at 7,450,349 in 2005. The country has a relatively homogeneous ethnic structure, with ethnic Bulgarians constituting 86% of the population. Bulgarians are the most genuine and hospitable of people. As a nation they are well-educated, intelligent, intellectual and seem to have an endless source of knowledge on practically any topic.

Language

The Bulgarian language belongs to the South Slavic group, along with Serbo-Croatian, Slovene, and Macedonian A number of dialects remain in common speech. Bulgarian is the official language, using the Cyrilic alphabet. Some ethnic Turks speak Turkish as their mother tongue, but generally have Bulgarian as a second language. Russian, previously a required subject in school, is also widely spoken. English is now the most widely studied second language, followed by German and French.

Religion

Some 85% of the population claim affinity to the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, while Muslims make up a further 13% of the population. The Communist regime discouraged religion, however religious freedom has now been re-established and religious holidays are openly celebrated.

Education

The literacy rate in Bulgaria is very high - 99% for men and 97% for women - and the country still boasts a strong education system. Particular strengths include computer programming and electronics.

History and Culture

The territory of Bulgaria has been inhabited since the earliest times of history - the Stone Age and the Copper Age. The Thracians were the first to settle in this region. In the second half of the VII century the proto-Bulgars, a people of Asian origin, settled on the territory of present northeastern Bulgaria. Forming a union with the Slavs they founded the Bulgarian state which in 681 was acknowledged by the Byzantine Empire.The state was conquered by the Ottoman Empire in 1396. For nearly 5 centuries Bulgaria was under Ottoman rule. In 1878 the April Uprising broke, which was the first organized attempt to overthrow Ottoman rule. The uprising was cruelly crushed and drowned in bloodshed, but managed to attract the attention of the big European countries to Bulgarian national issues. In the early forties Bulgaria’s policy was in favour of Germany and its supporters. In 1946 Bulgaria was proclaimed a Republic. The Bulgarian Communist Party came to power. The political parties that did not join the Fatherland Front were banned, enterprises and banks were nationalized, the arable land was forcefully included in co-operative farms. November 10-th, 1989 socialist`s marks the beginning of democratic changes in Bulgaria. A new Constitution was adopted in 1991, the political parties were restored, property seized in 1947 is being reinstated, privatization and arable land reinstatement have begun.Georgy Parvanov has been President of the country since autumn 2001. Prime Minister - Sergey Stanishev.

Architecture

Monuments in Bulgaria date back to the Thracian era: the Tomb of Sveshtari (third century BC) and the Tomb of Kazanlak (fourth century BC).
The Bulgarian town of Nessebar began as a Thracian settlement. Like the Thracian tombs, the town is on the World Heritage List. Evidence of Greek colonisation can be seen in the Acropolis and the Temple of Apollo. Other architecture of interest in Nessebar includes nineteenth century wooden houses.
Bulgarian religious buildings on the World Heritage List are Rila Monastery, Boyana Church, Sofia (dating from the tenth century), and the Christian churches of Ivanovo (thirteenth and fourteenth centuries).
There are a number of examples of Turkish architecture from the centuries of Ottoman occupation. Restoration has recently taken place on Ottoman architecture in Plovdiv, Stara Zagora, Shumen and Yambol.

Political Situation and Institutions

Bulgaria is a Parliamentary Republic and the Legislature is the basic power within the country. The Constitution provides for a multi-party, parliamentary system and free elections on the basis of universal suffrage. The National Assembly is vested with the legislative power and exercises parliamentary control. Its mandate is for a term of four years. The President serves as Head of State, and is directly elected once every five years for a maximum of two terms. The President is the Supreme Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Bulgaria as well. Minorities’ rights are protected. All Bulgarians regardless of ethnicity have the right to stand for local or national elective office and participate in decision making.

Food

Bulgaria's cuisine is influenced by neighbouring Balkan countries (Yugoslavia, Greece and northern Turkey).
Traditional food includes bread, pickled vegetables, salads, soups, stews, casseroles, stuffed vegetables, kebabs, spicy sausages and cheese dishes. Yoghurt is very popular and eaten most days. In fact, Bulgaria is said to be the home of yoghurt and Bulgarian yoghurt is thought to have curative properties.
Meat (pork, chicken, lamb and beef), fish and vegetarian dishes are served with staple foods such as rice and bulgar wheat. Vegetables include aubergines, beans, cabbage, carrots, corn, courgettes, cucumbers, lettuce, mushrooms, onions, peppers, potatoes, tomatoes and olives.
Favourite desserts are pancakes, baklava, baked apples and fruit: apricots, blueberries, blackberries, cherries, grapes, melons, raspberries, strawberries, peaches, pears, plums and quinces.
Traditional alcoholic drinks are "rakiya" (a fruit brandy, often plum), wine and "boza" (a type of beer made with grain, usually millet). Non-alcoholic drinks include coffee, tea, juices, buttermilk and mineral water.

Currency

The country’s currency is the Bulgarian Lev. The exchange rate is announced every day. Money can be exchanged in banks and 24-hour change bureaus.

Local time

Winter time - GMT + 02:00 hours
Summer time - GMT + 03:00 hours Daylight saving time - from last Sunday of March to last Sunday of October
Weekend - Saturday, Sunday

National Holidays

1 January - New Year
3 March - Liberation Day
1 May - Labour Day
Late April/May - Easter
6 May - St. George's Day (Day of Bulgarian Army)
24 May - National Culture Day
6 September - Union Day
22 September - Independence Day
1 November - Day of National Revivals
24 December - Christmas Eve
25 December - Christmas
26 December - 1st day of Christmas

Shopping hours

Offices - Mon-Fri 9 am - 5:30 pm
Banks - Mon-Fri 9 am - 3 pm
Shops - Mon-Fri 9 am - 7 pm; half-day Saturday
But more of the shops stay open until 8pm on weekdays and 5 pm on Saturdays.
Few shops (except for grocery stores) are open on Sunday.
Electricity

220 Volt / 50 Hertz - Western-style appliances need adapters for the country's twin-prong plugs, as well as voltage converters (for US applicances only)

Communications Network

Bulgaria has a developed domestic and international communications network. The country is served by three international airports and two commercial Black Sea ports. Sofia Airport is the largest and handles most international traffic, while Varna and Burgas airports service domestic and international charter flights. The two Black Sea ports need reconstruction. Two major east-west highways afford easy access to all regions and form part of a European transport corridor providing the most direct overland routes from Western Europe to Turkey and the Middle East.

Speed limits

Right hand drive

residential areas - 50 km/h
country roads - 90 km/h
motorways - 120 km/h

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